Prince & Companion
by Night-the-Dragon
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha, a neko prince, decides to check out the companion market one day to search for a possible mate. He finds none other than Naruto, a kitsune who's had a rough life. How will things go between them? Will Naruto eventually gain feelings for Sasuke? Or will they just be friends? SasuNaru, Yaoi, Lemons, Mpreg, A/U.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I thought of this one while I was trying to sleep one night, actually. Aren't those amazing thoughts you come up with when you're almost asleep the best? I actually hand wrote the beginning of this, surprisingly. Anyhoo, I hope you all like this fic! Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Prince & Companion

Chapter 1

X*X(Sasuke's POV)X*X

I was riding in a palace carriage to the companion market, where I planned on picking myself a companion and potential future mate. You see, my brother, King Itachi, and his husband, Kisame, are unable to reproduce and bear an heir to the throne. This meant that when Itachi and Kisame were gone, I would inherit the throne, but I still have yet to find a mate to bear an heir for me. Now, don't get me wrong, I do want a mate, but I want to have one that's ready for it, considering I'm gay. And that isn't an issue, either, as some males are capable of bearing young. Obviously I don't fall into this category. But the main thing is that Itachi didn't know I was doing this, and it was to surprise him that I was serious about the throne.

My cat ears twitched as the driver slowed to a stop, and my black cat tail flicked eagerly. I was excited, if I was being honest with myself, to find my potential mate, and my guard, Kakashi, an ookami, could see that. He chuckled at me, and I rolled my eyes in response. Every person in this world is half of some animal or another, and I just so happen to be a neko, or half cat, just like my brother. I stepped out of the carriage, Kakashi close behind me, and gave the driver instructions on where to wait for us. He nodded and left, and then Kakashi and I proceeded on our search.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

"We've been to seven shops already, Sasuke! **Seven**! Why don't we just stop and try again another time?" Kakashi growled, annoyed.

"Because I'm stubborn, and Itachi doesn't know I'm doing this," I chuckled, amused by the silverette's frustration. We've been like this for years, where I would mess with him and vice versa. As we passed by the eighth companion shop for the day, I was suddenly mesmerized by a pair of curious but fearful sapphire eyes watching me from the back of the shop. They quickly looked away, but now my interest was piqued. I entered the small shop and went up to the keeper while Kakashi waited by the door.

"Excuse me, but how many companions do you have with blue eyes?" I inquired. The keeper appeared startled by my presence, but quickly recovered when he realized who I was.

"Only one, a kitsune bearer," he replied. "Would you like to see him, sir?"

"Please," I nodded, and he left to bring the kitsune out. If he was a bearer, then this would be perfect. After a minute, the keeper returned with a frail-looking, filthy, and malnourished blonde kitsune timidly following.

"This is him. He refuses to tell anyone his name, and he has been returned several times for being rebellious," the keeper informed me, but the information didn't faze me. The poor guy looked mistreated, so I didn't blame him for being rebellious. His bright blue eyes seemed to scream that he needed help, but didn't know where to start. He had my heart, that's for certain.

"How much?" I asked, pulling out a pouch of gold coins. The blonde immediately looked terrified, as though he thought this would be a bad home.

"300 coins," the man answered automatically, so I pulled out the required amount and handed it to the keeper. "Thank you for your business, young prince. I hope he's good for you."

"He'll be fine once he's away from here," I growled, flattening my ears back angrily. "Consider actually caring for your 'merchandise' better, though, unless you want to lose business very quickly." The keeper paled, but nodded nonetheless. Looking at my new companion, I motioned for him to follow me while Kakashi left to fetch the carriage. We stood outside the shop, waiting for their return.

"You're safe with me, you know," I told the kitsune softly, making him jump before he stared at me. I had noticed his fearful quivering as we stood there, and I wanted to comfort him somehow. "No one will harm you as long as Kakashi, who's the ookami from earlier, or I are with you. That's a promise." He didn't acknowledge me, but judging by the way his ears twitched and his tail flicked a little as I spoke, he'd heard me. Then the carriage pulled up with Kakashi sitting on the back.

"You guys ride inside. I'm good back here," he smiled slightly.

"Thanks, Kakashi," I nodded, and then carefully helped the blonde inside. I barely touched him while doing so, trying not to scare him, but he still flinched. Once we were both seated inside with the doors shut, I smiled at my new companion reassuringly as the driver had the horses pull the carriage and take us home. He scooted to the corner by the window, trying to keep some safe distance between us, which worried me.

"I'll get you cleaned up once we're home, okay?" I murmured to the kitsune, who hesitantly perked up at the thought of a hot bath. "And once you're clean and dressed, we'll have a hot dinner. Does that sound good?" He nodded once, slowly, and then I decided to push things a little further, but not physically. "Can you at least tell me your name? I won't use it against you, I promise. I just don't know what else to call you."

"…Naruto," he whispered faintly, and I had to strain my normally sharp hearing to catch it.

"Naruto, huh?" I repeated, liking the feel of his name passing my lips. "I like that." He gave the tiniest of smiles. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha, and I'm the younger brother of King Itachi, making me the prince." His smile quickly vanished as his eyes widened in shock, but he had no chance to reply for we had just arrived home at the palace. "Don't worry. Like I said before, you're safe with Kakashi and me." Said ookami opened the doors to the carriage, and I guided Naruto to my room with Kakashi following, and then paused at the bathroom. I turned to my guard, smirking.

"Go see Iruka. I'm sure he's missed you today," I ordered, and he nodded once before leaving, a smirk on his lips. I knew he was going to practically torment his mate. Once Naruto and I were in the bathroom with the door locked for privacy, I changed out of my travelling clothes into an old t-shirt and thin sweatpants so I could bathe my new companion without dirtying my nicer clothes.

"Get undressed, Naruto, and I'll start the bath," I told the timid kitsune, he nodded nervously, and I focused my attention on the bathtub while he stripped, starting up the hot water. Soon enough, I had a steaming bath going for him, and I looked away again while my companion climbed in, hissing at something as he lowered himself into the water. I blinked; it wasn't that hot of a bath, was it?

"Better?" I asked, returning my attention to Naruto when he was in the steamy water. He nodded once, and I smiled softly. "Good. Let's get you cleaned up. And don't worry; I'll let you clean below your waist." He blushed, causing me to chuckle. I started off by having him dip his head into the water to wet his hair and ears, and then squeezed some of my favorite vanilla and cinnamon shampoo onto his head and massaged it in. The blonde relaxed into my touch, his sapphire orbs closing in bliss as I rubbed his ears and scrubbed his scalp gently.

"This is my favorite shampoo, despite the fact that I'm not fond of sweets," I murmured, trying to make some kind of conversation with him. I was also trying to hide my shock, though, as his hair was absolutely filthy! The shampoo had turned almost black from the muck in his hair and ears. Poor guy…

"Really?" he blinked, surprised.

"Yeah, I love the smell of vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus," I nodded. "Do you like the scent of the shampoo?"

"…Yes," the blonde replied hesitantly.

"Naruto, what do you like to eat?" I asked suddenly, rinsing his hair and ears by using a cup and filling it with bath water and pouring it over his head.

"What?" he uttered, confused.

"I want to know so I know what to have the cooks make us for dinner," I explained kindly. "I'm not picky, so whatever you want is fine." My tail swished behind me as I spoke.

"Is…is ramen okay?" he questioned nervously, appearing fearful of getting smacked.

"That can be arranged. Is pork okay with it?" I offered. Naruto nodded again, a little more eager. When I finished rinsing his hair and ears, I was pleasantly surprised to see that his filthy blonde locks and the fur on his ears were a gorgeous sunshine gold color, just darkened slightly due to the water. Then I picked up the lemon-scented body wash I had, squeezing some onto a soft washcloth and beginning to wash him down. As I washed his back where he couldn't reach, I was horrified to see that he had several scars, mostly from large cuts while the rest were burns from cigarettes, it seemed. There was even one that looked like it was from a whip. I didn't say anything, lest I upset the poor kitsune even more. When I reached his stomach, however, I handed him the washcloth so he could take over.

"I'll get some clothes for you Naruto, and have the cooks make our dinner. And don't forget to shampoo your tail," I smiled at him, and he nodded nervously before starting to wash himself. I stepped out into my bedroom and went to my closet to find some of my smaller clothes that would fit my companion, including a pair of brand new boxers I'd never worn before, fresh from the laundry after they were removed from their packaging. After a quick search, I managed to dig out a set of sleep clothes and a set of day clothes that would fit him, even if they were a little long, and then called down to the chef using my bedroom's phone.

"Hey Choji, do you mind making some pork ramen and having it brought up to my room? Thanks, and make it for two people, please. I have a…guest, and Itachi is not to know just yet," I told him, and he was quick to agree to my request. Once finished, I returned to the bathroom, knocking first in case he was exposed.

"Come in," he called timidly, and I walked in to find him leaning back in the tub, relaxing and watching me with alert eyes.

"Hey, I found something for you to wear to bed and for when you're all done," I said softly. Naruto blinked, but didn't say anything. "You washed your tail and everywhere else, right?" He nodded with a small blush, and I said, "Good. Now, go ahead and dry off, and then you can get dressed. They're a little long for you, but they'll fit otherwise. We'll get you your own clothes made up tomorrow. I'll set the clothes on the counter here. Come on out when you're dressed, okay?" I placed the folded set of clothes on the counter where they wouldn't get wet, and then stepped out again when he nodded after I set a warm towel on the rack near the tub. Judging by the amount of muck in the almost blackened water, I'll probably have to bleach it tomorrow morning.

I waited patiently outside the bathroom for Naruto to finish, and then I realized something. Based off of his fearful and nervous reactions, Naruto would not be comfortable sleeping in my bed with me tonight. That meant he'd either have to have his own room, or he'd have to sleep in the spare bed in my closet that I'd have to pull out. I didn't want him in his own room, lest he try and escape or something happen to him, so I decided to have him sleep in my room on the spare bed. While he was changing in the bathroom, I quickly went to my closet and pulled out the extra bed, and then retrieved some spare sheets for it from a dresser drawer. While I made the bed, there was a knock on my bedroom door, and I went to see who it was before answering. It was only Choji, a kuma, or half bear, and our head chef.

"Hey Choji," I greeted, and let him in with the small cart of food.

"Hi Sasuke," he smiled. Lowering his voice, he asked curiously, "So who's your 'guest'?"

"You'll all see him eventually, as he's living with us now," I smirked. "Just please don't tell anyone about him, because Itachi doesn't know, and he's not to know until later."

"How much later?" the kuma frowned.

"I'll tell him tonight," I assured him. Choji nodded, appearing satisfied with that answer, and then waved before leaving, closing the door softly behind him. Right after the door shut, I resumed making the extra bed, and was soon done. I even grabbed a thick quilt from the end of my bed to cover the spare bed with. I smoothed everything down, and the nodded, satisfied with my work. I then quickly changed into appropriate clothes for when I brought Naruto to meet my brother.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto's voice called from the bathroom door.

"What's wrong?" I inquired, heading straight to the bathroom.

"I'm dressed. I heard someone at the door. Who was it?" he told me, opening the door.

"That was just Choji, our head chef. He brought our dinner," I assured him. Looking him over, I realized he looked good in the clothes I'd found for him. He looked much better now that he was clean, his tan skin practically glowing from the bath, and his hair, ears, and tail were no longer oily and dirty. They were a bright sunshine gold. I noticed three whisker-like markings on his cheeks, but they didn't look like scars. "What are those marks on your cheeks?" I asked, unable to stop myself in time.

"I was born with them," he said shyly.

"I like them," I smiled, and he smiled back a little before spotting the extra bed near mine.

"What's the bed for?" Naruto frowned, one ear folding back.

"I don't want anything to happen to you if you sleep in your own room, so I set up an extra bed in here for you to sleep in," I explained. "Like I said before, you're safe with me." He nodded in understanding, and then the aroma of food hit his nostrils, as he inhaled deeply. I chuckled, "Come on, let's eat." His tail waved happily and his ears perked up when I pulled off the cover for the platter, and I handed him a bowl and chopsticks before getting mine.

"Thank you, Sasuke," Naruto mumbled. "You're the nicest owner I've had yet."

"You're welcome, Naruto, but I'm not your owner," I told him, and he glanced up at me, uncertainty swirling in those cerulean orbs. "You're my companion, and besides, judging by what you said, you think I'll get rid of you, don't you?" He nodded once minutely. "Well I'm not. I don't want you gone, because you're special. I've never had a companion before, but I know you'll be the perfect one." He blinked at me, shocked.

"You mean that?" he breathed.

"Of course I do," I assured the blonde. "Now eat up before it gets cold." He nodded happily, and we both began to eat. I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious taste after so many years. I hadn't eaten any kind of ramen since I was eight, and that was ten years ago, but it still tasted just as good now as it did then. When we were done eating, Naruto gave me a small smile.

"That's the best meal I've had in a really long time," he said. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed that," I smiled. "Now, are you ready to meet my brother and his husband?" He stiffened at that, terrified. "Don't worry, Naruto. My brother, Itachi, is very nice, and so is his husband, Kisame. They don't know I went out and bought you today, but I did it for a reason, but that's for another time." The poor kitsune seemed scared shitless, but I placed a calming hand on his shoulder, thankful he didn't flinch away this time.

"What if they don't like me?" he whimpered.

"They trust my decision, and they'll love you like family," I promised. "Come on, let's go." I stood and held out my hand to the blonde, and he timidly accepted it. I led him out of my bedroom, and then all the way to Itachi and Kisame's room. Knocking on the door, I called, "Itachi? Can I come in?"

"Yes, otouto," Itachi's voice answered after a few seconds. I smiled reassuringly at Naruto before opening the door and gently tugging the kitsune inside. Itachi was at his desk, writing down on something before he set down his pen. "Is something wrong, Sasuke?" he started to ask, but then stopped, blinking in surprise at my companion. "Well now, who do we have here?"

"His name is Naruto, aniki," I replied. "I got him from the companion market today."

"He looks well groomed for someone from the companion market," my brother remarked.

"I bathed him when we got back," I sighed. "And we already got some dinner before coming to see you."

"I see," Itachi nodded. He then smiled at the petrified kitsune before motioning him closer. "Come here, Naruto. I want to get a good look at my brother's first companion. Don't worry, I only bite Kisame." The last sentence caused us both to blush.

"Shut up, would you!" Kisame's voice shouted from the bathroom, startling Naruto. "They don't need to know that!"

"Keep it down, Kisame, I was only joking," Itachi chuckled, and then Naruto edged closer to him. Itachi looked the kitsune over thoroughly, and then nodded in approval. "Good job, Sasuke. He's perfect."

"Thank you," I smirked. "Kakashi almost blew a gasket after the seventh shop, though. I found Naruto at the eighth."

"May I actually speak to you alone, otouto?" my brother asked suddenly. "I'll have Kisame watch him for a moment."

"Um, sure," I nodded, and then told Naruto, "Kisame's a good guy, Naruto. He won't hurt you." The blonde nodded, and then Kisame came out of the bathroom, fully dressed, thankfully.

"Come on, Naruto, I'll show you the view of the night sky from our balcony," the shark man urged, guiding Naruto out to the balcony. As soon as the door was shut, Itachi spoke.

"He's a bearer, isn't he?" he said immediately.

"Yes."

"When were you going to tell me?"

"When Naruto was out of earshot, like now," I replied. "And besides, I wanted to surprise you with him so you wouldn't try and pick one for me."

"He's not just your companion, is he?" Itachi assumed.

"No, I want him to be my mate eventually, but he's definitely not ready, and won't be for a while," I answered. "You didn't see the scars on his body like I did, Itachi. His previous owners beat him badly. He's really skinny, too, but the clothes hide it pretty well. But he's really jumpy, and was scared shitless of meeting you until I assured him you were okay. I'm sure he's pretty anxious to get back in here with us since he's with Kisame right now. And to him, Kisame's a complete stranger except that he knows he's safe, according to me."

"Then why pick him?" my brother inquired, flicking his tail.

"Because there's something about him that makes my heart flutter every time I look at him," I admitted, glancing out at the balcony. Naruto seemed a bit tense, but was otherwise okay. "Despite the fact that he's a bearer, I would have picked him even if he wasn't." Itachi was quiet for a while, and then finally smirked.

"My otouto has grown up, it seems," he chuckled, and my ears folded back irritably.

"Oh, be quiet," I grumbled. Kisame knocked on the door from the balcony, and Itachi nodded, so his husband came in, Naruto being quick to follow and then join me. I noticed how tired the poor kitsune appeared, so I bid the pair goodnight before leaving with Naruto to my room.

"What do you think of Itachi and Kisame?" I asked my companion as we walked.

"Itachi's a pervert, but Kisame's nice," he answered quietly.

"I know what you mean," I laughed lightly. "My brother's always been that way since he met Kisame, though. He wasn't truly happy until he met him."

"You seem happy, though, Sasuke. Do you have a spouse?" Naruto inquired curiously, making me blink in surprise.

"No, I'm not, actually. I'm just happy when I am, I guess," I shrugged. I didn't want to tell him he was the one who made me happy, or else I'd probably scare him away. Too soon for that. He eyed me suspiciously for a second, but let it drop. When we got to my room, I let him in, and then went in after him, locking the door behind us. I handed Naruto the old t-shirt and sleep pants I'd found for him, and he went into the bathroom to change. While he was in there, I quickly slipped out of my clothes and into an old t-shirt and sleep pants for myself. I had just finished pulling my shirt on when the kitsune emerged from the bathroom in the sleep clothes. I had to admit, he looked adorable in the plain blue t-shirt and flame-patterned sleep pants. His tail swished anxiously as he looked at me.

"Can I…can I share your bed?" he asked timidly, his ears folding back in fear. I was very surprised by this, but I wanted to make him comfortable, so I nodded.

"Of course," I smiled. I climbed into my bed under the covers, and then patted the mattress so he could join me. Hesitantly, he climbed in, and was surprised by the softness of the mattress, considering he sank a bit into it. Once he was curled up on his side of the bed, I clicked off the light.

"Goodnight, Naruto. Sleep well," I whispered.

"G'night, Sasuke," he mumbled tiredly, and fell asleep instantly. I was quick to follow.

A/N: What do you guys think, huh? I think this'll be one adorable fic, despite Naruto's fear in this. Don't worry, he'll emerge from his shell soon enough. R&R, peeps!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I almost started crying while writing this… You'll soon find out why. And when I say late December, I mean almost Christmas. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Prince & Companion

Chapter 2

X*X(4 Months Later, Late December)X*X

X*X(Naruto's POV)X*X

I've been living with Sasuke for four months now, and I had been opening up more to him, Itachi, Kisame, Kakashi, and Iruka, Kakashi's mate. When I discovered that Iruka and Kakashi were mates, I was surprised because I had assumed that people serving under royalty weren't allowed to have mates, but I was wrong. Anyway, Iruka and I had become close over the past two months during our lessons, where the dolphin man would teach me different subjects, per Sasuke's request. I hadn't exactly been schooled during my life, but I had some smarts.

But even though I was opening up more, I still hadn't shared about my past with anyone, not even Sasuke or Iruka. I knew Iruka wouldn't judge me for it, but I was terrified to upset the raven-haired neko prince. I knew he'd be angry if I told him, so I didn't want to yet. Besides, I was falling for my owner, and didn't want him to be disgusted by my being used before he bought me. I knew I was falling for him, and hard, too, because every time he smiled at me, my heart would flutter with excitement. Sasuke always comforts me when I have my nightmares as well, holding me close when I let him, and never asking why I have them or what they're about. He was being incredibly patient and kind, so he deserved to know the truth. I decided to talk to him after dinner tonight.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Dinner arrived at Sasuke's room on time like usual, and we ate in a somewhat awkward silence. When we were finished, I set my plate down on the tray and started biting my lip nervously, aware that Sasuke was watching me in concern.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?" he inquired worriedly.

"Not really…" I replied.

"Then what's troubling you? You only bite your lip when you're nervous," the raven frowned. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"You know how I have all those scars?" I began. He nodded, giving me his full attention. "I know I haven't told you about my past yet, even though I have nightmares about my previous owners, and you've been so patient and everything with me, so…you deserve to know why I wasn't very talkative and was so scared when you bought me." His onyx eyes widened in surprise.

"Naruto, you told have to tell me if you're not ready," he assured me. "If you're not ready, then you don't need to. It doesn't matter if I deserve to know or not. All that matters is that you're willing and ready to share." I shook my head.

"It'll probably help to stop the nightmares," I told him softly, and he nodded in understanding, gesturing for me to continue. "It all began when I was eight, so ten years ago…

"I was kidnapped shortly after New Year's Day, in early January. My parents tried to stop the kidnappers, but they were brutally killed in the process. When I woke up after being knocked out when they captured me, I was in a cage in some building I couldn't recognize. I came to find out later that it was a kind of black market for selling rare hybrids. Apparently kitsunes aren't very common here, so they took me so I could be bred. They didn't know at the time that I'm a bearer…

"The owners of the place ended up selling me to a wealthy owner who had apparently paid a pretty penny for me, and I soon found out why. He wanted a fuck toy. He raped me when I was nine, before I could become pregnant. I was terrified and in agony, and I didn't know what he was up to until he…yeah… After that, I was beaten every day, even if I did nothing wrong, and he began a routine. Every Monday night, he would rape me to relieve stress from work, he claimed.

"It was after four years of this that he tired of me, and then dragged me to the companion stall you bought me from and sold me to the keeper there. I was 13 years old when the next owner bought me, and I wasn't sure if he was as bad as or worse than the first. He raped me the first night he brought me to his home, and it was that night that I became pregnant. When he found out a month later, he was livid, and beat me to within an inch of my life, causing me to miscarriage, and then returned me. I was bought by several more owners for the next five years, each one raping me and impregnating me only once, and then beating me so severely that I would miscarriage each time. Never once did I try to remember their names, out of fear of being more scarred, but I could easily recognize them if I saw them again. I got medical attention so I wouldn't die from the dead fetus inside of me, but I was close to breaking. It was only when you bought me that I've started to repair myself, slowly."

By this point, I was crying, stumbling over my words a little as I had been speaking. When I finished, though, a choked sob escaped me, and Sasuke was quick to pull me close to him in a tight embrace. He said nothing, but I could feel his anger radiating through him, and despite the hug, I couldn't tell if it was directed at me or at my past owners.

"I'm so sorry that to you happened, Naruto," he whispered after taking a quivering breath. "I…I don't know what I can do to help, but I'll always be here for you if you want to talk or anything." I tightened my grip on him, crying harder, and realized I had underestimated the raven. He was better than I could have ever imagined, and I was incredibly lucky to be his companion.

"Thank you," I whimpered when I managed to calm down enough. "You're the only one I've told about this."

"You're welcome," he smiled at me after pulling back to look at me. "And I'm honored that you trust me enough now to tell me." Glancing at the clock on his nightstand, he sighed. "Let's get some shuteye. I'm sure you're exhausted."

"Yeah," I mumbled tiredly. I went into Sasuke's bathroom to change into one of the sets of sleep clothes he had tailored for me the day after he bought me, and then I started to open the door. I was quick to shut it quietly with a blush, however, as the neko prince was still changing, and what I saw made my heart race. I had seen his upper body, just his back, but I could still see that he had well-defined muscles, but not bulging, thankfully. I wasn't a fan of bulging muscles. Gods, if just seeing his back made my heart race, imagine what would happen if I saw him nude! Finally, I heard the creak of the bed as Sasuke sat on the edge, so I emerged from the bathroom, trying desperately to calm my blush still.

"Come on, Naruto. I want to get you up at a decent time so you're not late for your session with Iruka again," he smirked, and I rolled my eyes before climbing in with him, yawning. We had put away the second bed about three months prior, as I was most comfortable sleeping in Sasuke's bed with him. "Goodnight, Naruto. Sleep well."

"G'night, Sasuke…sleep well," I mumbled, and then we fell asleep.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

X*X(Sasuke's POV)X*X

I woke up first the next morning, hoping to be able to get Naruto distracted for a bit while I went to blow off some steam in the training yard. Sure, he'd probably see me from the window in the study, but that would be okay. I just didn't want him to see how furious I was about his past owners. Now I'm incredibly relieved that I managed to buy him when I did, before anyone else could torture my poor companion…

Looking at the clock on my nightstand, I sighed quietly; time to get Naruto up, fed, and dressed before Iruka's lessons with him. Carefully, I climbed out of my warm bed, hissing slightly in protest as my feet made contact with the cool, carpeted floor. I made my way over to the phone to have Choji make and bring up our breakfast, keeping my tail curled around me in an attempt for a little extra warmth. Sometimes, I hate winter with a passion.

"Morning, Choji," I greeted when he picked up.

"Good morning, Sasuke," he yawned. "What'll it be this fine, cold morning?" I glanced outside, and saw it was snowing. I realized Naruto had probably never had a good snow day, so I decided to let him have some fun today, and just skip Iruka's lessons today.

"How about some pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon, as well as two big mugs of hot chocolate with a thermos to carry some extra in?" I asked.

"Sounds good! I'll bring it right up," he replied, and I could hear the grin in his voice.

"Thanks, Choji, I'll see you soon," I told him, and then hung up. I grabbed a set of warm clothes for myself and for Naruto, and then went to wake him after turning up the heat in the bedroom a bit so we weren't cold while eating breakfast. The only reason we still ate in my room was because Naruto still wasn't comfortable in the dining room, surrounded by strangers. Itachi and Kisame were usually stuck with guests from other towns each night, so it was difficult to have dinner with just them.

"Mmm…Sasuke…?" Naruto mumbled sleepily, lifting his head from the pillows to look at me.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," I teased, pulling out a pair of boots for each of us. "How'd you sleep?"

"No nightmares for once," he smiled tiredly, but then he frowned in confusion when he saw what I was doing. "What's going on?"

"Look outside and you can probably figure it out," I chuckled, my ears twitching when there was a knock at my door. I let Choji in, thanking him for the breakfast before whispering, "Mind making a warm sweet treat for him when we get back? Maybe some cinnamon sugar cookies, seeing as I'll eat those, too." He nodded happily before leaving, shutting the door behind him. I perked up at Naruto's surprised gasp, turning to face him and smirking at his excited expression.

"Do we get to go out today, then?!" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, but let's get a hot breakfast in us first, and then we'll get Iruka and Kakashi to come with us," I smiled lightly at the kitsune. He grinned happily at me before we sat down and ate. He noticed the thermos sitting nearby, but didn't speak. "It's hot chocolate for when we go out, to warm us up a bit."

"I thought you didn't like sweet stuff?" Naruto frowned.

"I'm not too fond of it, but this kind is my favorite: raspberry hot chocolate," I assured him. "That's the flavor I can't resist."

"I've never tried it before," he admitted shyly, lowering his gaze.

"Then let's remedy that," I chuckled, and handed him his mug of the delicious chocolate drink while I took a sip of mine. He sipped at it, and then perked up.

"This is delicious!" he exclaimed, and I laughed a little at his reaction, causing him to pout. He took another drink before continuing to eat his breakfast, and I smiled softly before resuming eating mine. When we finished, I had the blonde get dressed into his warm clothes in the bathroom, and I got dressed in mine while he was in there. While I waited on him to come out, I grabbed my phone and sent a quick message to Iruka that today's lesson was cancelled, and he and Kakashi were to join us for a snow day outside. I got a quick reply back, saying they would meet us down by the courtyard.

"Naruto, are you ready? Iruka and Kakashi are waiting for us down by the courtyard," I called through the door. He was quick to come out, struggling with his coat.

"Sorry, the coat's giving me a hard time," he apologized, so I stopped him and fixed his coat for him, and he flashed me a grateful smile. "Thanks, Sasuke."

"No problem. Let's get our boots, hats, and gloves on, and then we'll be ready," I told him, and he nodded. Once fully dressed for the cold weather and I had the thermos of hot chocolate, we left for the courtyard door, which was close by downstairs. As we got closer, I realized the pair wasn't there yet. That's when we heard a soft moan, making our ears twitch and blushes spread across our faces. I knew what Kakashi was doing; he was either attempting to get a quickie in with Iruka, or he was making out with his mate. Grinning wickedly at Naruto, I placed a finger to my lips, signaling for him to be quiet, and then followed the noise to a closet in the hallway. I wrenched the door open, scaring the living shit out of the two occupants, and then we both busted out laughing at the mortified looks on their faces.

"That…was perfect!" I gasped out as the pair in the closet glared at me. Naruto was laughing just as hard as I was, which made me happy that this had gotten him to laugh. In fact, the sound of his laughter was delightful, as I'd had yet to hear him genuinely laugh. Then I noticed the evil looks on their faces, as had Naruto.

"Now you're both gonna get it," Kakashi growled.

"RUN!" I yelped, and we fled outside, the thermos left inside, Kakashi and Iruka close behind us. While we ran for cover, the two mates began to pelt us with snowballs from the area near the door. We hid behind a tree, panting, and looked at each other.

"Ready to deliver payback?" I smirked. Naruto nodded, a similar smirk on his lips as we began to make snowballs to chuck at the two near the door. When we finally had enough, we unleashed a barrage at Kakashi and Iruka, who were completely unprepared for us. Kakashi yelped when I scored a shot at the back of his head, and I laughed loudly at the shock on his face. I failed to notice when Iruka snuck up behind me, though, and dumped snow on my head, causing me to shriek from the freezing cold and how unexpected it was. I glared at Iruka, and then shoved a handful of snow in his face. He gasped from the cold, and then I fell over when Naruto pounced on me playfully, laughing joyously with his tail waving to show his happiness. I couldn't resist joining in, and then we noticed Itachi and Kisame at the door to the courtyard. Naruto blushed when he realized he was lying on top of me, pretty close to my face, and quickly scrambled off, his face beet red. I carefully got to my feet as well, shivering at the sudden cold that chilled me.

"Come on, Naruto, let's get some hot chocolate and something warm to eat while we dry off and warm up," I urged, and we went inside with Kakashi and Iruka following. The mated pair nodded to Itachi and Kisame in acknowledgement, and then retreated to their room to warm up. My brother handed me the thermos I had abandoned earlier in our haste to run earlier, and I smiled.

"Thanks, Itachi," I told him.

"Anytime, Sasuke. I actually have a surprise for you two," Itachi smiled back.

"**We** have a surprise for them. It was my idea, too!" Kisame growled at his mate in warning.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, frowning in confusion.

"How about you two get changed into drier, more comfortable clothes? Then we'll show you after you've eaten and drank something to warm you up," Kisame suggested, and we nodded.

"That's a good idea," the kitsune agreed, shivering from his cold, wet clothes. I led the blonde back to my room, my brother and his husband following at a much slower pace. I let Naruto go into the bathroom and change first, but I handed him a warm towel and some comfortable clothes first so he could dry his hair, ears, and tail and then change. I grabbed myself a set of clothes and a warm towel as well after setting the thermos on the dresser, and then quickly stripped myself of my coat, boots, hat, and warm clothes that were now soaked through. While I dried my hair and ears, I managed to pull on a pair of dry boxers, and then tossed the towel to the side before scrambling into my comfortable clothes, which were just a pair of black sleep pants with lightning bolts on them and a plain navy blue long-sleeved shirt. I slipped on my black slippers right as Naruto emerged from the bathroom, dressed in his own flame patterned sleep pants and a plain orange long-sleeved shirt. He slid on his own royal blue slippers before turning to face me, smiling.

"Let's go see the surprise Kisame and Itachi have for us!" he grinned, but then blushed when his stomach growled. Despite being fed enough to have him gain weight again so he wasn't scrawny, Naruto had a very healthy appetite for someone who wasn't overweight.

"How about we eat a hot lunch and drink that hot chocolate first?" I suggested, chuckling. He nodded, and I handed him a mug with some of the hot chocolate from the thermos before calling down to Choji. "Hey Choji, is it ready?"

"Yep! I'll be right up," he told me, and then the kuma hung up. Turning to Naruto, I said, "Choji's bringing us something to eat."

"What's he making this time?" the kitsune asked, blinking cutely. I groaned internally; I knew he had my heart, even though he didn't know it, but whenever he did something cute, he was oblivious to my heart's jumping in response. I didn't say anything to answer his question, just smirked when the door knocked shortly afterwards, and then answered it, letting Choji in with the platter of cookies. He had even brought more hot chocolate, which I thanked him for.

"Anytime, Sasuke! Enjoy, guys, and hopefully this warms you up," he grinned, and then left, shutting the door softly behind him.

"What'd he bring?" Naruto questioned, watching me. I lifted the cover on the platter, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"I had Choji make some cinnamon sugar cookies while we were outside, so that way we could warm up with them when we got back in," I explained. "Go ahead, have some." He grabbed a cookie and took a small bite of it, and then smiled brightly after a second.

"These are really good!" he exclaimed, and began to munch on them happily. I chuckled at his reaction, and then grabbed a few for myself, sighing in content at the warmth and taste. We didn't finish them, as we became too full, and there had been a lot of cookies, so I covered the platter again and placed it on the dresser. Naruto gulped down the last of his hot chocolate, and then we went to find Itachi and Kisame. They were waiting by the stairs leading down to the warmest room in the palace, the den. It was basically in the middle of the entire building, with a large fireplace that always burned during the colder months whenever someone was in there.

"Ah, there you two are," Itachi smiled. "Are you both warm enough now?"

"Yeah, we had some of Choji's cinnamon sugar cookies and some hot chocolate," Naruto grinned.

"Good to hear you enjoyed that," Kisame nodded approvingly. "Ready to see your surprise?"

"Of course!" Naruto chirped, and I chuckled at his excitement. Itachi and Kisame led us down the stairs to the doors leading into the den, and then pushed them open, revealing the usual appearance of it, except for one big thing: the traditional huge-ass Christmas tree we get every year, usually decorated by this time, but wasn't just yet, with the exception of the lights. I heard the kitsune beside me gasp in shock and awe, and I looked at him to see his sapphire eyes wide and shining with excitement.

"Holy shit! How did you guys sneak this in here earlier?!" the blonde yelped.

"We have our ways," Itachi smirked.

"We wanted to surprise you two by seeing if you wanted to decorate it," Kisame explained.

"Can we?" my companion pleaded with me eagerly.

"Of course, Naruto," I chuckled.

"Thanks, Sasuke!" he crowed, hugging me gratefully, but then quickly pulled away, blushing.

"We'll leave you two to decorate the tree then, okay?" Kisame smiled slightly, and then the pair left. As soon as the door shut, Naruto ran over to the boxes of decorations we had, babbling excitedly about decorating the tree. We began to decorate, and thankfully, we had the ladder to help us, or else we would have been a bit screwed. We were about halfway through when Naruto suddenly had to use the bathroom.

"I'll be right back, Sasuke," he told me, and left, and I decided to wait on him to return before resuming the decorating. After five minutes, however, I became worried, seeing as he should have been quick to return. So I got to my feet from the armchair I'd been sitting in, but as soon as I did, I heard a scream of terror from Naruto in the hallway.

"Naruto!" I yelled, and darted out of the den and into the hallway.

A/N: Sorry about the cliffy, but I'll work on the next chapter right away! R&R, peeps!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Again, I'm sorry about the cliffy from last time, but here's a surprise~! Ta-da! Next chapter, up right away! And sorry about the delayed updates, I've been trying to re-inspire myself. One last thing: it's December 20th when this whole ordeal happens. I should have been more specific in the last chapter, ehehehe… Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Prince & Companion

Chapter 3

X*X(Sasuke's POV)X*X

I darted out into the hallway, where Naruto's scream had come from, and twitched my ears to try and detect where he was at. Another shriek sounded, this time muffled, and I ran towards the source. I turned the corner, and was horrified to see one of the newer guards trying to have his way with Naruto. The poor blonde was already roughed up, too, it seemed. Snarling, I lunged at the guard, slamming a fist into his gut. The guard yelped in pain, and then began to fight back without realizing who I was. I punched him in the face, digging my knuckles in.

"Leave him alone!" I snarled, clawing his uncovered arm. I slammed him against the wall, pinning him there, and glared furiously at him.

"Sasuke, what's going on?!" Itachi's voice demanded suddenly from right nearby. I vaguely heard Kisame trying to calm Naruto.

"This sick fucker was trying to molest Naruto," I growled, not budging.

"Release him, Sasuke. Kakashi will take over from here. Naruto needs you," my brother told me, and I dropped the asshole, allowing Kakashi to grab him roughly with a growl. He left quickly, and I hurried over to my companion's side, reaching out to him hesitantly.

"Naruto…?" I murmured. He immediately wrapped his arms around me, clinging to me tightly as he sobbed from the fear and terror he'd just experienced. I felt his tears soaking my shirt, and I carefully hugged him back, calming him slightly. His shuddered heavily against me, so I decided to take him back to my room so he could calm down more. I lifted him so I was holding him bridal-style as he clung to me, and then carried him to my room. As I left, I could feel Itachi's and Kisame's saddened gazes on us, and I knew they had tried to help us become even closer, but thanks to that stupid guard, it didn't work out.

When we got to my bedroom, I managed to open the door and then shut it behind me, locking it as an afterthought. I headed straight for the bathroom, pretty sure that Naruto would want the scent of the guard washed off of him. Setting him on the toilet lid, I barely managed to get him to let go, as he was trying desperately to hold on to me.

"I'm not abandoning you, Naruto. I'm just getting you some clean clothes," I whispered, and he whimpered but nodded. I was quick to find him some clean pajamas and boxers, and then returned to him. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay?" I suggested softly, and he nodded somewhat hastily, confirming my suspicions of him wanting the guard's scent off. I started the bath, but as he pulled off his shirt, I caught sight of a few scratches on his arms that had stopped bleeding earlier. I didn't say anything, deciding to just be careful washing them while he bathed. Politely, I looked away as he slid into the bath, hissing at the slight sting from his scratches touching the warm water.

"I'm in," Naruto mumbled quietly, so I turned to him so I could start washing my companion off. We remained silent as I washed his hair, and I remembered the last time I had bathed him. It was back when I first brought him home, and I had promised he would be safe here. I felt a sting of regret in my heart now, remembering those words, and knowing my promise was broken.

"Sasuke?" the blonde uttered, snapping me out of my thoughts. My ears flicked as I looked at him.

"Yes?" I said.

"Are you mad at me?" he whispered, sounding terrified.

"Of course not, Naruto," I assured him, shocked he would think I was. He relaxed slightly at my words.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because it wasn't like you asked for that fucker to do something to you," I explained. "Believe me; I'm furious at him, never at you. I'm sorry that it happened, though, Naruto. I promised you would be safe here, and I broke that promise…"

"…It's not your fault," the kitsune told me softly, glancing at me timidly. "I don't blame you."

"Thank you," I murmured, smiling at him tenderly. I rinsed out his hair and then continued to wash him, only stopping when I reached his stomach. "I'll let you finish cleaning yourself, okay? I'll be right outside the bathroom, waiting for you. Go ahead ad come on out once you're dried and dressed."

"Okay," he nodded, his voice soft. I went outside the bathroom to wait on the bed, but after a few minutes, I became antsy. Pulling my phone out, I sent a quick message to Itachi, asking him to come to my room because I needed to talk, now. He replied back with a quick, 'I'll be right there,' and then there was a knock at the door within minutes.

"What's on your mind, otouto?" my brother asked me quietly as we sat on the bed.

"First off, what's the bastard's status?" I inquired.

"He's been fired and banned from the palace, and has been warned that he'll be killed without hesitation if he ever comes near," Itachi replied. "But that was only after he got a rather harsh thrashing from Kisame and Iruka. I'm pretty sure they broke his ribs, which is fine by me. He claimed he didn't know Naruto lived here."

"No excuse, even if it was true," I growled. I glanced at the bathroom, listening to see if Naruto was still cleaning up, and he was, judging by the soft scrubbing sounds coming from behind the door. Lowering my voice, I whispered, "I'm worried about him, Itachi. He shared with me last night about his past."

"I'm sure he was raped, correct?" the elder neko assumed.

"Yes, and he was impregnated several times, but was beaten into miscarriage each time and then returned," I breathed, still horrified by it. Itachi's eyes widened, shocked.

"I didn't realize that he had been impregnated before," he murmured. "I had assumed each previous owner knew he was a bearer and just used protection or something."

"If only," I sighed. "That would have been better, I'm sure."

"You still desire him as your mate, correct?" he guessed, and I nodded. "Good. I know you'll take good care of him, otouto. You've always had a kind soul when you want."

"Thanks, aniki," I smiled slightly. He placed his hand on my shoulder after standing.

"I'd best get back to Kisame. He's probably wondering where I'm at," Itachi shrugged, and then waved to me before leaving. Five minutes passed after he'd left, and then Naruto emerged from the bathroom in his clean pajamas.

"Feeling better?" I asked lightly, and he nodded once.

"Can we just stay in here for the rest of the day?" he questioned in a nervous voice.

"Of course, Naruto. If you want, we can go to bed now," I offered, and he nodded. I kicked off my slippers after closing the curtains, and then slid under the covers with Naruto. "Come on, let's get some sleep." And with that, the blonde knocked right out, leaving me awake to contemplate our situation. I want him as my mate, but how do I tell him that without scaring him? Dammit, this would be tough…

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

I woke up later to Naruto twitching, shivering, and whimpering in his sleep. Carefully, I gently shook the blonde, trying to wake him from his nightmare.

"Naruto," I whispered, shaking him once more. His eyes snapped open, and he gasped sharply before latching on to me with a choked sob. His entire frame shook violently as I wrapped my arms around him soothingly. I rubbed his back slowly, eventually calming him.

"Sorry…" he muttered, not looking at me, but instead at the mattress.

"Don't apologize," I murmured. "You can't help it."

"…Sasuke?" the kitsune said, glancing at me.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"I heard you and Itachi talking earlier," he mumbled, looking away again. "You really want me as your mate?" I stared at him, not wanting to scare him, but unable to lie.

"Yes," I nodded. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to scare you away, especially now that I know your past." I took a deep breath before continuing. "You captured my heart when I saw you in the window at the shop, and even if you weren't a bearer, I still would want you as my mate. Simply put, I love you, Naruto." His azure eyes widened at the last statement, and then he spoke.

"You've been the best owner I've ever had, Sasuke," he told me with a blush, gazing into my eyes. "Everything you do makes my heart race with excitement, and you're always kind and gentle with me. I want to be your mate, Sasuke, and I love you, too." I felt my heart swell with joy at his words, and I leaned down slightly so I could kiss him. I pressed my lips gently against his, but increased the pressure slightly when he began to kiss back. Slowly, cautiously, I ran the tip of my tongue along his bottom lip, asking for entrance, and he was quick to part his lips, allowing me entry. I slid my tongue into his mouth, tasting him, and he moaned quietly into my mouth. When we parted for air, we smiled at each other. That's when I felt a poke against my thigh, causing me to blink in surprise, and Naruto blushed a deep crimson.

"Sorry!" he squeaked, embarrassed to high hell.

"Don't worry about it," I chuckled, kissing him softly. Pulling back, I smirked at him. "Want me to take care of your problem?"

"I wouldn't mind…" he mumbled, blushing deeper. I kissed him once more before pulling the blanket back so his bottom half was uncovered, and then gazed into his eyes as I tugged his pajama bottoms and boxers down. My focus switched to his now-exposed erection, and I licked my lips sensually at the sight. I heard Naruto whimper with need as he stared at me, so I took his entire length in my mouth, sucking harshly and bobbing my head. The blonde's breath hitched before he let out a loud moan, and I swirled my tongue around his now-leaking cock, drawing a longer moan from him. Releasing his member, I licked the underside along the vein, causing the kitsune to buck his hips. I quickly pinned them to the mattress, and he whined quietly.

"Sasuke, please!" he pleaded with me. I gave a throaty chuckle, and then took his cock into my mouth again, humming lightly. Naruto gave a small whimper, which quickly changed into a moan, so I decided to put him out of his misery. I gave one last harsh suck, groaning as I deep-throated him, and then he came into my mouth with a pleasured cry. I swallowed his cum willingly, and then sat up before crawling over to my side of the bed to sit next to my kitsune, who was trying to catch his breath.

"Better?" I smirked, and he nodded tiredly. Leaning down, I kissed him deeply, allowing him to taste himself on my tongue, and he blushed darkly when I pulled back. "I love you, Naruto."

"I love you, too, Sasuke," he murmured, weakly tugging his boxers and sleep pants up. I helped him pull them up, and then kissed him softly on the lips after pulling the blankets back over us.

"Let's go back to sleep, okay?" I suggested, sliding down so I was lying next to him again.

"Sounds good. G'night, Sasuke," he yawned, and then snuggled up to me with his face buried into my chest, waiting until I wrapped my arms around him before falling asleep. I inhaled deeply, getting the scent of his blonde spikes in my system before allowing myself to fall asleep with him.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

When I woke up the next morning, I was happy to find Naruto still fast asleep in my arms. It was an amazing feeling, that I now had him as my own, and only a few days before Christmas. I carefully pulled him a bit closer, wanting as much contact as possible with the blonde. Despite my carefulness, however, his ears twitched when he was moved, signaling he was about to wake up. Then those beautiful sapphire orbs were revealed to me, still somewhat murky from sleep.

"Good morning, Naruto," I smiled softly, kissing his forehead.

"Morning, Sasuke," the kitsune smiled back tiredly. He pulled away a bit so he could stretch, and that's when we noticed our tails were entwined together, with my slender black one wrapped around his fluffy blonde one. I chuckled, unwrapping my tail from his, and then I stretched, yawning as my back clicked in a few places.

"Sleep well?" I asked, flicking my ears once.

"Better than I've ever slept before, actually," Naruto told me, and then his stomach growled, making him blush lightly. "Can we get some breakfast, Sasuke?"

"Of course. Do you want to eat up here? Or do you want to try eating downstairs with Itachi and Kisame?" I offered, but then there was a knock at the door. Frowning, I got out of bed and checked to see who it was, and then smiled when I saw. "Speak of the devils," I laughed, and opened the door, allowing my brother and his husband in. They had brought a cart with some breakfast on it, and four mugs of what smelled like raspberry hot chocolate.

"Good morning, you two. Good to see you're both up," Itachi greeted.

"How are you feeling, Naruto?" Kisame asked the blonde.

"I'm great, actually," he told the shark man, who blinked in surprise.

"Oh?" he said, curious.

"He overheard our conversation yesterday, Itachi," I explained. "And he wants the same."

"It's about damn time!" Kisame exclaimed, smiling. "I was wondering when you two would confess!"

"You knew?!" Naruto and I demanded of my brother-in-law.

"Of course! Besides the fact that Sasuke told Itachi how Naruto captured his heart at first looks, I knew you were both smitten with each other when I saw you together," he replied smugly. We sighed, but I still sat next to Naruto and wrapped an arm around him, kissing his temple and making him blush a little.

"So what brings you guys up here this morning?" I inquired, genuinely curious.

"We wanted to check in on you two over breakfast," Itachi replied, and lifted the cover on the tray to reveal a stack of crepes on a platter, a plate of scrambled eggs with cheese mixed in them, and some bacon.

"What are those?" Naruto asked, pointing at the crepes.

"They're crepes. They're like really thin pancakes, except that you don't cover them with syrup and butter. You put jam or jelly on them, maybe some powdered sugar or whipped cream, and then eat it while it's wrapped up," I explained.

"I brought some jam, whipped cream, and powdered sugar," Kisame added.

"Thank you, guys," I said, and then we each grabbed a plate before dishing ourselves up with our breakfasts. I watched as Naruto hesitated with the jam and such, so I went over to him. "Watch," I urged, and then spread some strawberry jam along a couple of my crepes, then added some whipped cream to them, followed with a dash of powdered sugar. Then I wrapped up the crepe loosely, topping it with a little bit more whipped cream and powdered sugar. "See? It's easy," I smiled at the blonde. He nodded, and then finished with preparing his crepes. When we finished eating, Itachi pulled out two wrapped gifts from under the cart's cloth.

"Merry early Christmas, guys," he smiled, and handed Naruto and me a gift each.

"Wait, are you two leaving for Christmas?" I asked in disbelief.

"No, but we won't be here on Christmas Eve, so we wanted to give you your gifts for the evening now, that way we'll be able to see what you think," Kisame answered.

"Really?!" Naruto grinned, waiting on me to open mine with him. I nodded, and then we began to open them. The blonde kitsune then opened his box and pulled out a set of simple, soft, warm pajamas, along with matching white slippers that had fox heads patterned on them, and a stuffed fox plush. He was quick to hug the plush to his chest, immediately loving the little stuffed animal. "It's so soft! Thanks Itachi and Kisame!"

"You're welcome, Naruto," Kisame chuckled. I opened my box next, smiling at Naruto, and then pulled out a set of dark red pajamas with plaid pants, a pair of matching slippers, and a stuffed cat plush.

"Thanks guys," I said, smiling softly at the little plush cat.

"No problem, otouto," Itachi smirked. He looked at his watch, and then sighed. "We'd best get ready for our trip. In the meantime, you two can finish decorating the tree today, and then just have fun while we're gone. I'll make sure the sleigh is available for you as well, okay?" I nodded, and then the pair got up and left, but not before Naruto gave them each a hug in thanks. After they left, I stood up and made my way to the bathroom.

"Mind if I shower really quickly? I'll be right back, and then we can go finish decorating the tree," I told Naruto, and he nodded.

"I'll find something to wear," he smiled at me, and then I grabbed some clothes for the day and then hurried into the bathroom to shower. As I washed off, I had a feeling that we were going to have fun while Itachi and Kisame were gone. I would definitely make sure to take him out on a sleigh ride on Christmas Eve, though. I couldn't wait.

A/N: Okay, so I know this one's shorter, but it's better than nothing! Let me know if you have questions! R&R, peeps!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Again, I'm sorry about the slow updates, it's just kinda difficult to motivate myself to write right now. And I also apologize for the grammar errors in chapter 2; I'll go back and fix those later. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Prince & Companion

Chapter 4

X*X(Christmas Eve)X*X

X*X(Sasuke's POV)X*X

It was finally Christmas Eve, and I had finally managed to get the perfect special gift for Naruto. I was still surprised that it was ready so soon, considering how short notice the order was. After all, I had only sent in the order the very day Itachi and Kisame left for their trip, which was three days ago. They had called last night and told us they would be back early on Christmas morning, around 2 or 3 in the morning, so we were happy they would be back in time. Right now, though, I was trying to plan out a nice dinner for Naruto and me with Choji before going out for a ride in the sleigh after dinner.

"So, you want me to make chicken parmesan with fettuccine alfredo? I don't know if I can make it right, Sasuke," Choji sighed.

"Come on, Choji, I know you can do it! No matter what, I'm sure it'll be great," I assured him. "Besides, you have time. You'll make it perfect, I just know it." Choji sighed again, but smiled nonetheless.

"All right, I'll do it. Thanks for the confidence, Sasuke. I'll do my best," he nodded, and then returned to the kitchen. As soon as the door was shut, I returned to the den, eager to see how Naruto was faring with the decorating. We had decided to use some extra decorations to make the den more festive, and I had left my blonde there while I went to speak with Choji. I knocked on the den door when I got there, and then walked in, blinking in surprise at the appearance of the entire room. Apparently, the kitsune had been quite busy in the ten minutes I was away.

There were various colorful wall decorations hung against all four walls, the stockings, including Naruto's, were all hung above the fireplace, strings of garland were strung up about the walls, and Naruto was currently setting up the small train and tracks for around the bottom of the tree. He looked up when I walked in with a grin on his face.

"Hey Sasuke! Doesn't it look awesome in here?" he asked brightly. I went over to him and wrapped my arms around him, kissing the top of his head between his ears.

"It looks amazing in here, Naruto. I love it," I smiled at him. I noticed the star for the tree sitting off to the side, and quirked a brow. "You didn't put the star up yet?"

"I was waiting for you so we could do it together," he mumbled shyly. I kissed him softly.

"Thank you," I said, and then added, "Let's put it up now." He nodded eagerly, and then set down the tracks for the train before getting to his feet with the star in his hands. Together, we set the star up on top of the tree, but as Naruto leaned back slightly to admire it, he started to fall, and I was quick to try and catch him. Unfortunately, we just ended up on the floor with Naruto landing on top of me with a yelp.

"Ow…" the blonde grunted, starting to sit up. Smirking, I pulled him back down and kissed him lovingly, feeling his surprise before he kissed back. We kissed for about 30 seconds, and then parted for air, breathing heavily.

"You okay?" I asked, holding him close to my chest.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Surprised me more than anything," Naruto replied, his voice slightly muffled against my shirt. His ears flicked lightly against my face as I inhaled the scent of his hair, reminding me of a warm summer day.

"It looks great in here, Naruto. I'm sure Itachi and Kisame will love it," I told him, and then began to sit up with the kitsune still pressed against my chest. "I have something special planned for tonight. Let's go get cleaned up, and then we'll get some dinner, okay?"

"Okay, but what are you planning?" he questioned, folding one ear back.

"It's a surprise, so I can't tell you," I chuckled, kissing his forehead lightly. Naruto pouted, but smiled when I kissed his nose. "Come on, let's go shower."

"Together?" he inquired, curious.

"Only if you want to," I shrugged, somewhat hopeful that he would want to. He nodded shyly, so I got up, holding my kitsune bridal-style, and then left for our room. Once there, I grabbed us a set of clean clothes and a towel each, and headed for the bathroom after he went in. I kissed him briefly before starting to strip. The blonde began to undress as well while I started the shower water, letting it heat up before getting in with my mate. As we let ourselves get soaked in the hot shower water, we kissed a few more times, and then I snagged the lemon body wash and a washcloth. I squeezed some onto the cloth, lathered it up into suds, and began to wash Naruto down. Eventually, as I scrubbed his body, I noticed he was trembling slightly when I got closer to his thighs, and he started to become hard. With a smirk, I finished washing him before letting him rinse off. As soon as he was rinsed off, I whipped him around so he was facing me, and then pinned his hips against the wall of the bath with my hands as I kneeled, taking his cock into my mouth and beginning to suck him off.

"Ahhh…S-Sasuke!" Naruto moaned, startled by the suddenness, digging his tanned fingers into my raven locks, being mindful of my ears. I very lightly scraped my teeth along his dick, drawing a choked gasp from the blonde, and then licked roughly along the vein on the underside. Naruto whimpered, sounding as though he was biting his lip to quiet himself, but I swirled my tongue around the head of his cock, making him moan loudly. I bobbed my head as I sucked harder, finally taking him to the back of my throat and humming. The vibrations were enough to make him cum in my mouth with a cry of ecstasy, and I swallowed without hesitation. I pulled back, straightening up, and held the kitsune close to me with my arms around his middle as he regained his breath.

"That…was…amazing…" he breathed, shakily wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm glad you enjoyed that," I chuckled, kissing the top of his head between his ears. "You taste delicious, by the way." Naruto gave an indignant cry and slapped my arm lightly, blushing heavily. "Come on, let's finish getting cleaned up."

"All right, pervert," my blonde grumbled, so I grabbed the shampoo and scrubbed his hair and tail for him. Once he was all cleaned up, I had him hop out and dry off while I quickly washed myself and shampooed my hair and tail. As soon as I was washed and rinsed, I turned off the water and grabbed my towel from the rack by the tub before climbing out and drying off. I made sure to thoroughly rub my tail and hair dry after drying my body off, and then carefully brushed out the fur on my tail, followed by brushing my hair and then combing it. When that was done, I was quick to get dressed and go join Naruto out in our bedroom. However, the blonde kitsune was sitting on the bed, biting his lip nervously, appearing to be deep in thought.

"Naruto?" I said, sitting next to him. The blonde jumped slightly, startled, but then blushed and looked away. "What were you thinking about?"

"How much of a pervert you are," the kitsune replied, finally looking at me with those beautiful sapphire orbs. I accepted his answer, but I had a feeling he wasn't telling me the whole truth. After all, I didn't want to spoil our evening together. Then there was a knock at the door, and I got up to see it was Choji with our dinner. I let him in, and he smiled at us as he pushed in the cart with the food on it.

"Hey guys, I hope you like it," he greeted. "I did the best I could, considering this isn't my specialty."

"I'm sure it'll be delicious," Naruto smiled in reassurance. "Everything you make is amazing, Choji."

"Thanks, Naruto. Enjoy, you two, and I'll see you in the morning," Choji told us, and then left, closing the door behind him.

"What **did** Choji make, anyway?" Naruto asked once the kuma was gone.

"A special dish that's one of my favorites," I replied, and lifted the covers from the dishes, revealing two steaming hot plates of chicken parmesan each with a side of fettuccine alfredo.

"What is it? It smells amazing!" he inquired, inhaling deeply.

"It's chicken parmesan and fettuccine alfredo," I smiled, waving my tail happily. I handed him a plate and his set of silverware, and then grabbed mine before we began to eat. I watched as Naruto took a bite, and then he grinned after swallowing.

"This is delicious!" he exclaimed, and began to eat eagerly. I ate mine at a slower pace, but finished shortly after him. Choji had done amazing, and I would be sure to let him know next time I saw him. Naruto leaned back against the chair he was sitting in when he was done eating, sighing in content as his ears relaxed. "Choji did awesome, as usual."

"Yeah, and he wasn't really confident in this one, surprisingly," I told him. "Ready to go out for a bit? I want to show you something special tonight."

"What is it?" he blinked, curious, his ears perked up.

"I can't tell you, or else it'll ruin the surprise," I chuckled. "Come on, throw on your boots, coat, and gloves, and then we'll go." Naruto nodded eagerly, and then quickly yanked on the aforementioned items before bouncing in place by the door.

"Hurry, Sasuke!" he whined, and I laughed lightly.

"I'm going, I'm going," I said, and then joined him once I was ready as well. We made our way to the stables, where I had already made sure the sleigh was ready and waiting for us when we got there, with two horses hitched at the front with the driver in the seat, holding the reins. Naruto gasped at the sight, his eyes shining with excitement, and then he looked to me in question.

"We're taking a sleigh ride tonight, Naruto," I smiled softly, and helped him into the sleigh. Once we were both seated, I gave the driver the signal, and he had the horses start pulling.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked quietly, snuggling up to me for warmth.

"Somewhere that's special to me," I answered simply, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and pulling him closer. He nodded, accepting my answer, and sighed in content. As we rode in the sleigh, I thought about how deep in thought the blonde had been earlier, and wondered what he had been thinking about. Hopefully it wasn't anything bad…

The sleigh slowed to a stop, and the driver nodded to me. I smiled very slightly and nodded back, and then helped Naruto out, grabbing a lantern afterwards. He cast me a curious look, but didn't say anything as I instructed the driver to wait for us. Once that was taken care of, I led Naruto off to our destination without a word, but I could feel his curiosity was piqued when he saw the faint glow up ahead. When we got close to my hidden spot, I covered the blonde's eyes with one of my hands, and then guided him up the snowy path.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Naruto laughed a little.

"You'll see soon," I chuckled, kissing the back of his neck lightly. Finally, we reached my special hidden area, so I told Naruto to close his eyes, and he did, so I quickly went over and se the lantern down in the middle of the area. The kitsune gasped, stunned, as he looked about at the beauty of my special place.

It was a cave covered in crystals of varying sizes, colors, and shapes, with lantern set up in the center, the flame inside flickering and making the colors reflected from the crystals dance around us. In the ceiling of the cave, there was a hole just large enough to allow the moon to shine through, providing a little more light inside. And sitting by the lantern was my special gift for Naruto, the small box wrapped perfectly in gold colored wrapping paper and some sapphire blue ribbon.

"What do you think?" I asked quietly, taking one of his hands in mine.

"It's…beautiful…" he murmured in awe, his eyes wide with shock still.

"Do you want to know why I brought you here?" I questioned, and he looked at me, curious. "Look near the lantern." He did as I said, and then saw the gift.

"Is that for me?" he whispered, uncertain.

"Of course. You can open it now, if you want," I grinned.

"Would you be upset if I waited until tomorrow? Some say to save the best for last," he inquired, and I chuckled.

"No, I wouldn't be upset. I understand," I smiled, and he yawned. "Ready to head back?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Sleepy…"

"Okay, then let's go before you fall asleep," I chuckled, and then grabbed the lantern and Naruto's gift before guiding the blonde back down to the sleigh. We got there safely, despite Naruto stumbling occasionally from his exhaustion, and then rode back home in the sleigh. When we finally arrived back home, Naruto was snuggled against me, fast asleep with one of my arms and my tail gently wrapped around him. I tucked my mate's gift into my coat pocket, and then carefully picked the blonde up bridal style and carried him up to our bedroom. Once inside with the door shut, I set the kitsune down on the bed, and removed his boots, coat, and gloves. I removed my own before taking Naruto's gift out of my coat's pocket and setting the parcel on the dresser. Gently, I woke the blonde up so he could get changed into his night clothes before we went to sleep.

"Wake up, Naruto," I murmured into his fuzzy ear. "You need to change into your pajamas so you're comfortable sleeping tonight."

"But I'm fine right now…" he whined, barely moving.

"You won't be if you wake up in jeans and a sweater in the morning," I smirked, and he huffed irritably, but slowly got up anyway, groaning as he stretched. He grabbed the pajamas Itachi and Kisame had gotten him a few days prior, and then went into the bathroom to change. I changed into the set they had gotten me while he was in there, and then climbed into bed, waiting patiently for Naruto to return. Once he was dressed and out of the bathroom, he joined me under the blankets, cuddling up close to me. I pulled the blankets over us, and then turned off the light before wrapping my arms around him and kissing his lips in the dark.

"Goodnight, Naruto. I love you," I whispered as my tail wrapped around his.

"G'night, Sasuke. Love you, too," he mumbled tiredly, and then we fell asleep together in the warmth of each other's arms.

A/N: Sorry it's such a short chapter! I feel awful about the lack of updates, considering I've been out of school for the past couple of weeks. I start up again tomorrow, but I'll try and write when I can, okay? Anyhoo, can you guess what Naruto's gift is? And what he was thinking about? Try and guess! R&R, peeps!


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